BJP MP in hate row as pitch turns communal
They will enter homes and rape women, says Delhi parliamentarian Verma
NEW DELHI : Delhi’s election took a sharply divisive turn on Tuesday, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament from West Delhi, Pravesh Verma, alleging that protesters gathered at Shaheen Bagh — where a sit-in against the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has continued for over a month — will “enter homes...rape...and kill” and indicated that this can only be prevented if the BJP is elected to power in the state which goes to polls on February 8.
Responding to a question from the news agency, ANI, Verma said, “Lakhs of people gather there (Shaheen Bagh). People of Delhi will have to think and take a decision. They’ll enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters, kill them. There’s time today, (Narendra) Modi ji & Amit Shah won’t come to save you tomorrow.”
Verma’s comments created a political stir, with both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress criticising him for hate speech.
The Election Commission (EC) , too, took note of the Verma’s comments, as well as those of BJP leader and minister of state for finance, Anurag Thakur, who chanted and encouraged provocative slogans on Monday. The Delhi Chief Election Officer, on Tuesday, submitted reports to EC on the provocative language used by both the BJP leaders, and the suspected violation of the Model Code of Conduct, a senior official told news agency PTI.
The poll watchdog is likely to issue a show cause notice to Verma as well. The Delhi Congress too approached EC and urged it to ban BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Verma for making “provocative statements” with the “aim to incite communal violence”.
Verma’s comments appear in sequence with a string of controversial comment and, rivals allege, communally divisive rhetoric that the BJP has used over the past week in the Delhi election campaign.
Analysts say that the BJP’s turn to divisive rhetoric is an attempt to consolidate Hindus in an election where it was widely perceived to start with a disadvantage because of the AAP’s contention of providing better governance. The BJP also does not have a CM face against the incumbent, Arvind Kejriwal, and is fighting the election in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
To be sure, the BJP is also trying to corner the AAP on governance issues, such as water, education and heath care — on which the Delhi government’s record is considered impressive by most civic watchers.
The BJP, however, sees the protests against the CAA as its biggest opportunity. The party’s Delhi chief, Manoj Tiwari, said, “It is true. When Manish Sisodia says that we are with Shaheen Bagh, it is something which has helped us. This is coupled with the fact that their lies on their claims about promises in Delhi stand exposed.’’
Verma himself, addressing a public meeting in Vikaspuri, said, “If the BJP forms government on February 11, not a single person will be found at [the protest site] Shaheen Bagh.” He also added, “If our government is formed [on February 11, just give me one month. I will ensure that all the mosques in my constituency are removed from government land within a month,” he said.
EC NOTICE TO ANURAG THAKUR OVER ‘SHOOT TRAITORS’ SLOGAN
The Election Commission (EC) Tuesday served a notice to BJP leader and Union minister of state for finance Anurag Thakur for the “provocative slogans” while campaigning.
The statements made by Thakur are a violation of the model code of conduct (MCC) as well as the provisions of the Representation of People Act, 1951, the commission in its notice said.
It has sought an explanation from Thakur, BJP’s star campaigner, for allegedly inciting a crowd at an election rally in Delhi to say “goli maaro” (shoot the traitors), and asked him to respond by Thursday.
“... the Commission is, prima facie, of the view that by making the aforesaid statements which have the potential of disturbing communal harmony and aggravating the existing differences between social and religious communities,” read the ECI order served to Thakur.
Thakur was campaigning in Rithala when, in a widely shared video, he was seen purportedly prompting the crowd, saying “desh ke gaddaron ko... (traitors of the country...),” to which the crowd responded with “goli maaron … (shoot them...)”
The EC took action after it received a report from the CEO.